New today from the Century

Fine doorstops, by John M. Buchanan. Donna Tartt’s novel The Goldfinch connects to both head and heart, while Doris Kearns Goodwin’s The Bully Pulpit tells of Theodore Roosevelt, an endlessly fascinating figure.

Conversations at the hospital, by Steve Thorngate. This week I’ve spent some time with my five-month-old daughter in the lounge outside a hospital’s intensive care unit. The default position is to respect other people’s privacy, but some people want to talk.

Ministry myths, by Carol Howard Merritt. We’re always predicting and observing things that may not prove to be true a few years later. Here are three myths that I often hear about ministry that I question.